Heading into Abu Dhabi on the heels of the always-inspiring Skoll World Forum, I had no idea what to expect. Wading through 1,300 fellow philanthropy professionals on my way to the first plenary session, I quickly realised that I had somehow found my people.
Life will never be the same again. Sure, things may return to some semblance of normal in the months to come, but we now have a different understanding of what the future could look like. At the very least, we know that there will be major disruptions to our daily routines and operations that we can’t always predict. We need to adjust our strategies accordingly and find creative approaches when planning for the future. More than anything, we need to communicate with each other in ways that make us feel connected and close.
Photo @Emma Bauso, Pexels
This is likely the most difficult piece I’ve ever written, because it is so intimate and personal. Since childhood, I have struggled with my identity, seeking to find a place in the world. As the son of a mixed couple, raised in northern Europe in the 1970s and 1980s, I never managed to fit in. By the time I reached my twenties, I understood that not fitting in could be a blessing. Now in my forties and having lived in communities around the world, I know that identity is subject to change and diversity makes us stronger. There are majorities and minorities in every sphere of our lives. We may look, sound or feel different, but we all belong to the same species. Increasingly, the world is evolving and starting to look more like me: mixed and adaptable.
